Tubular structure.



W. D. GRAY Y TUBULARSTRUUTURE;

APPLICATION FILED MAB. 30, 190B. I 1,015,312, Patented Jan. 23, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

CoLUMmA PLANOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON, D. C.

W. D. GRAY.

TUBULAR STRUCTURE.

Commun APPLIOATION FILED MARBO, 1908.

Patented Jan. 23, 1-912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

aufm/WV:

PLANUGRAPH co., wAsHlNeToN, D. c.

WILLIAM I. GRAY, lor* MILwAUKfnmwIscoNsIN.

TUBULAR STRUCTURE. l

y Speeiiication of Letters Batent. v

Application filed. March 30, 1908. Sterialflilo. 423,988.

TooZZ whom it may concern: i f

Be it/ known that I, WILLIAM D. GRAY, a

citizen I of the `United States, residingV at 'Milwaukee, in the countyof Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Tubular Structures, of'which the following is a`speci-A fication, reference being had to the accompanying drawing,forming apart thereof.

This invention relates. to tubular, struc-l tures for elevator legs,conveyers, spouts and the like. Its main objects are to ,produce` light,strong and durable tubular structures of this class, which can'beeconomically'built in sections'or lengthsif desired and easilyv erectedor installed, 'and4` which will have tight joints and will ynot twist orwarp out of shape; to provide for easy access to the interior of suchstructures for repairs or inspection; and generally'to improve the" con'struction and increase the serviceabilityof devices of this class. Y

It consists incertain novel features 'of construction and in thepeculiarv arrangement and combinations of" parts as hereinafterparticularly described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing lilie charf acters designate the same partsin the several figures. Y

Figure l is an elevation of the front or outer side, as viewed frointherightA with reference to Figs. 2 and 3, of a portion of the ends ofadjoining sections or lengths'of an, elevator leg embodying theinvention; Fig. 2 is a cross section on the line'2 2, Figs. 1 and 3;Fig. 3 is aside elevation as viewed from the left with reference to Fig.1; Fgs.

4, 5 and 6 are views on areducedscale of a portion of a cover sectionwith a removable length, for an elevator leg or tubular struc= ture ofthe lcind shown in Figs. 1,'2 and'S, Fig. 4 being an outside elevation,Fig. k5 an inside elevatiomand Fig.I 6 a longitudinal section on theline 6 6, Figs, 4 and 5; and Fig. 7 is a cross sectionshowing'a'modification of a tubular structure f for conveyer` cases. Y

Referring to Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, show ing a tubular structurespecially designed for elevator legs which may be made to facilitatemanufacture and erection in lengths of any'desired dimensions andcoupled together. end to end. Each length is composed of a U-shapedsection a, and a cover section` o, of sheet metal, as shown,or of othersuit- .the U-shaped body sectionsA are formed with Patented Jaa.23,1912. i

, abler'nat'erial.v When made ofsheet metal]r *a outturned'flanges calong their longitudinaly Y .edges,`"'and the cover sections are madetok overlap these flanges, as .shown in, Fig. 2. n

jIn theV angles formed by ,the louttu-rned flanges c andthe sides ofeach section a, arey fittedj longitudinal reinforcing strips d,' j

which mayV ybe madek ofl wood. Over .the edges of each cover sectionv Z2are fitted 'an-A gular reinforcing strips e, which may also 'be madeo'fgwood vandihave* lipsv or flangesy f extending over and beyond the`edges of the section" o.; The strips e withthe cover sec#tion'bare-fastened to the strips d over the ou'ttirrned yflanges cofsection a, by screws g passing? through the strips e andfregistemy ingholes in the'sheet metal sections into the Y lstrips fol, as shown inFig. 43. The lips or flanges f' of thestrips c projecting kover the `1edgesfofy section bandof the flanges yc, cover the joints lbetween them,giving a finished appearanceto thefstructure aswell as rein- Y l 'jforcing and' ystrengthen'ing. it. y

winsure` perfectly tightjoints, thin strips or To further 'sof layerszfgof `suitable packingvmateriahmay rbe interposedfbetween section b andthe opposing flanges c of section a, as shownin Fig. 2.3' qThe sheetmetalsectionsya and may be secured2 on the insideto the striped i andeindependently of the screws g', which connect and bind the sectionstogether by screws i, as shown `in Fig. 5.

Whenthe structure is made accordingto lthe preferable and usualpractice, in lengths,

lfia-nged, metal coupling rings fare riveted or ,Y

otherwisesfastened to the ends of the lengths, and are secured together.with interposed gaskets Zapby kbolts Z passing throughAregisteringholes in the flanges Each ring formed adjacent to the jointsbetween 4the sections a and Y), `with recesses correspond-" ing incrossysection rand in line "with 'the clampingv and reinforcing strips d ande,

and, these recesses are filled,as shown inFig.`

3, with plugs n ando of wood or other suit-' i able material, againstwhich said strips. d

and eabut endwis'e and between which the outwardly` projecting llappededges of the `section extend atadjoining endsA of the lengths. Thecoupling ringsare thus made K' to correspond in design or externalcontour lwithl the tubular structure, and the construction andassemblage of the parts of the struc;-

iio ture are facilitated. The separate lengths `maybe made to correspondwithy the dis-k tance between floors of mills or buildings in which theyare to be set up, and may be finished in a shop or factory ready forcoupling together end to end in the mill or other building where theyare to be used.

For elevator legs orsimilar structures where it is necessary ordesirable to providev for easy access to the interior, the cover sectionis made in separate lengths, which are provided at their ends withinterfitting rabbeted cross strips p p, one of the lengths b beingremovable with the cross strips p and the longitudinal strips e whichare attached thereto and constitute a frame therefor. The strips eA likethe strips e, have marginal lips or flanges f, which are adapted tocover and close the joints between the removable length or cover' b andthe sides of the tubular structure formed by the section a. rl`hepermanent side strips e project, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, beyond thecross strips p, and the corners of the removable length or cover b andthe mitered corners of its frame composed of the strips e and p, are cutaway or recessed on the back or inner side, to receive the projectingends of the strips e, which thus assist to hold the cover in place andclose the jointsv between the rabbeted cross strips p and p at theirends. Sight openings are formed in the removable lengths or covers b',and these openings are bordered by grooved cross strips g, in which aglass or transparent panel 1 is fitted, the side strips e beingcorrespondingly grooved to receive the ends of the panel, as shown inFigs. 4, 5 and 6.

Referring to Fig. 7, showing a modification of the structure designedfor use as a case or box for a spiral conveyer, the U- shaped bodysection a and the cover section b are shown as made up of several layersof wood or other material glued or cemented together, according to theusual practice in making laminated wood structures. In this form of thestructure the outturned flanges along the edges of the body section areomitted, and the reinforcing strips d riveted or otherwise secured tosaid section, bear directlyY against the overhanging or overlappingportions of the section b. The angular reinforcing strips e, which aresecured by screws g to the strips d, have lips or flanges f whichoverlap the edges of section b and cover the joints between them and thestrips d.

In both forms of the structure herein shown and described, thelongitudinal strips cl and e serve not only to stillen and strengthenthe edges of the sections to which they are attached and to preventwarping and twisting of the structure, but also serve to clamp or bindthe edges of the sections together and to cover and close the jointsbetween them.

Various modifications in details of construction and arrangement ofparts other than those herein specifically mentioned may be made withoutdeparting from the principle and scope of the invention.

I claim:

l. A tubular structure for elevator legs and the like, composed of aU-shaped section having reinforcing strips applied to its longitudinaledges on the outer side thereof, and a cover section having angularreinforcing strips applied to its longitudinal edges on the outer sidethereof and secured to the other strips and binding the sectionstogether, the angular strips overlapping thc other strips and coveringthe joints between the adjoining sections, substantially as described.

2. A tubular structure for elevator legs and the like, composed of aU-shaped section flanged outwardly along its longitudinal edges, a coversection fitted to the open side of the first section and lapping itsoutturned flanges, and longitudinal strips secured to each other withthe flanges of the U-shaped section and the edges of the cover sectionclamped between them, one of each pair of strips having a lip or flangefitting over and covering the intermediate edges of the sections and thejoint between them, and the other strip of each pair fitting into theexternal angle between one side and the adjoining fiange of the U-shapedsection, substantially as described.

3. A tubular structure for elevator legs and the like, made in lengthseach composed of sections having outwardly projecting longitudinallapped edges and provided with external strips which are securedtogether and form closed joints between the sections, and flanged ringsfastened to ends of the lengths for connecting them end to end andformed with recesses into which the lapped edges of the sections extendat adjoining ends of the lengths, substantially as described.

4. A tubular structure for elevator legs and the like, made in lengthseach composed of sections provided along their longitudinal edges withexternal strips which are secured together in pairs and form closedjoints between the sections, and flanged rings attached to ends of thelengths for coupling them together end to end and having recessesadjacent to the joints between the sections and corresponding in crossSection with said strips, substantially as described.

5. A tubular structure for elevator legs and the like, made in lengthseach composed of a U-shaped section having outturned flanges along itsedges and of a cover section fitted flatwise against said flanges,reinforcing and kclamping strips secured together in pairs over theadjoining edges of the sections and covering the oints between them,

fianged coupling rings attached toadjoining ends of the lengths andrecessed to receive the projecting edges of the sections .and plugsinserted `in the recesses Vin said rin s and corresponding in crosssection with :said reinforcing and clamping stripsl against which theyabut endwise, substantially as described.

6. A tubular structure for elevator "legs cross strips which constitutea'frame therefor; substantially as described.

A tubular structure for elevator legs ll and the like, composed ofsections provided along their longitudinal edges with` rein'- forcingstrips( arranged in pairsand cov ering the joints between the sections,one of vthe sections being made in separate lengths yhaving interittingrabbeted cross strips at the ends,fand lone of said lengths beingremovable and having Ilongitudinal strips with( Alips V,or flangesoverhanging its goppositel edgesand adapted to cover the joints betweenthe .removable length and theisdes j p wrLLIAM D. GRAY. A',

Witnesses: y

GRAS. L. Gross,r x Amon E. Goss.

Copies of this Vpatent maybe obtained for ve centseaclnpy addressing theCommissioner of Patents,

, `Was1xingtonl ID. C.

yof the tubular structure,v ksubstantially 1 as fdescribed. j Y j i Inwitness whereof I hereto affix my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

